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Conner McMullen Pulls Double Duty at Laughlin Desert Classic, Leads Both Classes After Saturday; Gonzalez Fastest UTV, Naran Leads Motorcycles

Race Recaps Press Releases Desert
Oct. 18, 2026
Chris Leone

Conner McMullen was the star of the show in Saturday’s first day of racing at the Laughlin Desert Classic, the final round of the 2026 American Off-Road Racing Championship season. Taking the wheel of the Rubik Racing Unlimited Truck for Nic Whetstone alongside his typical SPEC truck, McMullen posted the fastest times in both classes to kick off the weekend, as the stages were set for Sunday’s championship-deciding races.

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After an initial heat for pre-runners, racing started bright and early on Saturday with the motorcycles and quads. The top two bikes, led by Ciaran Naran and Shane Logan, were so fast in their battle that only 12 racers were able to complete all five scheduled laps under the grand prix finish format. Both teams finished in under an hour, but Naran and Cody Simpson teamed up to take top honors by just under 28 seconds when all was said and done.

Heat 2 Day 1 unofficial results from the 2026 Laughlin Desert Classic were as follows:

  1. #N2 Ciaran Naran, Open Pro Motorcycle, 5 laps, 59:13.393
  2. #N56 Shane Logan, Open Pro Motorcycle, 5 laps, 59:41.120
  3. #N15 Nic Colangeli, Open Pro Motorcycle, 5 laps, 1:04:12.356
  4. #N5 Hayden Hintz, Open Pro Motorcycle, 5 laps, 1:04:34.908
  5. #J5 Patricio Cabrera, Ironman Pro Motorcycle, 5 laps, 1:06:02.600
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The Limited car and truck classes were up next, and in typical AORC fashion, seven different classes were represented in the top 10, as well as three in the top five. John Bowers was the fastest of them all, posting a 53:44.976 in Open Sportsman B, but Ian Miller (Class 12), Alex Gabler (Class 1450), Chad Hall (Stock Production Truck Mini/Mid), Chris Woo (Stock Production Truck Full), William Hunter (Vintage), and Gary Lunsford (Open Sportsman) added plenty of variety to the time sheet.

Heat 3 Day 1 unofficial results from the 2026 Laughlin Desert Classic were as follows:

  1. #1 John Bowers, Open Sportsman B, 4 laps, 53:44.976
  2. #8127 Colton Brenthel, Open Sportsman B, 4 laps, 1:01:09.924
  3. #1251 Ian Miller, Class 12, 1:02:37.058
  4. #1489 Alex Gabler, Class 1450, Class 1450, 1:03:54.882
  5. #1486 Joseph Cammans, Class 1450, 4 laps, 1:04:01.452
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Many of the pro UTV classes would take to the course for the next heat, and the entire overall top 10 would be split by just under five minutes. Dexon Despot would be fastest of the group as UTV Pro Turbo racers took the top three spot, but UTV Pro NA’s Wyatt Cotter (fourth overall), UTV Pro Stock Modified’s Caysen Weaver (seventh), and UTV Pro Stock’s Code St. Peter (10th) would ensure that four classes would crack the top 10.

Heat 4 Day 1 unofficial results from the 2026 Laughlin Desert Classic were as follows:

  1. #B821 Dexon Despot, UTV Pro Turbo, 5 laps, 1:10:41.212
  2. #B25 Bryce Marking, UTV Pro Turbo, 5 laps, 1:12:43.883
  3. #B124 Trevor Beurrier, UTV Pro Turbo, 5 laps, 1:13:14.467
  4. #R112 Wyatt Cotter, UTV Pro NA, 5 laps, 1:13:38.135
  5. #R4 Lake Adler, UTV Pro NA, 5 laps, 1:13:43.183
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Nearly 30 Unlimited Truck SPEC entries would follow them, and with a tight title fight between Kyle Jergensen, Cole Hardin, and RJ Stidham on their hands, a solid Saturday could make all the difference. Stidham had the cleanest run of the group, placing fourth in class, while Hardin would take a DNF despite showing top-five pace on the first lap. Jergensen and Conner McMullen would trade the lead early on, but Jergensen would fall out of the top 10 on the fourth lap and eventually settle into 12th. McMullen would hang on in a close battle, beating Neal Drickey by just over 10 seconds and Justin “Bean” Smith by almost a minute.

Heat 5 Day 1 unofficial results from the 2026 Laughlin Desert Classic were as follows:

  1. #240 Conner McMullen, 5 laps, 1:03:12.220
  2. #205 Neal Drickey, 5 laps, 1:03:22.696
  3. #284 Justin “Bean” Smith, 5 laps, 1:04:11.806
  4. #280 RJ Stidham, 5 laps, 1:04:35.604
  5. #251 Dane Miller, 5 laps, 1:04:46.302
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In the always-intense battle for bragging rights between UTV Pro and Class 10, the UTVs took most of the top 10 spots in their heat, but Carib Potts (fourth overall) and title contender Cade Martin (eighth) still managed to represent for the buggies. Top honors overall went to Deegan Gonzalez, who started from the outside of the first row; UTV Pro championship contenders Ronnie Anderson and Phil Blurton would wind up 11th and 13th, respectively, ensuring their fight will go down to the final day of the season.

Heat 6 Day 1 unofficial results from the 2026 Laughlin Desert Classic were as follows:

  1. #T81 Deegan Gonzalez, UTV Pro, 5 laps, 1:06:02.658
  2. #T838 Michael McFayden, UTV Pro, 5 laps, 1:06:56.123
  3. #T913 Chase Carr, UTV Pro, 5 laps, 1:07:46.995
  4. #1061 Carib Potts, Class 10, 5 laps, 1:07:57.363
  5. #T10 Mason Cotter, UTV Pro, 5 laps, 1:08:21.602
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As the full-power Unlimited Trucks hit the course to wrap up the day, the championship battles between Tracy Graf and Robby Gordon in the 4WD class and Nic Whetstone, Steve Olliges, and Tracy Poole in 2WD would come to the forefront, as whichever trucks win the event will win the championship. All five trucks would be in the overall top six, with McMullen—filling in for Whetstone—shattering the one-hour barrier over five laps, giving the #18 team a big advantage going into championship Sunday. Gordon, meanwhile, would come in nearly 50 seconds ahead of Graf on the 4WD side.

Heat 7 Day 1 unofficial results from the 2026 Laughlin Desert Classic were as follows:

  1. #18 Conner McMullen, Unlimited Truck 2WD, 5 laps, 58:29.766
  2. #78 Tracy Poole, Unlimited Truck 2WD, 5 laps, 1:01:30.283
  3. #5 Robby Gordon, Unlimited Truck 4WD, 5 laps, 1:01:53.747
  4. #58 Tracy Graf, Unlimited Truck 4WD, 5 laps, 1:02:45.235
  5. #75 Jordan Dean, Unlimited Truck 2WD, 5 laps, 1:03:10.356
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The battles continue Sunday with an identical race program, with the pre-runner heat going once again at 8AM and motorcycles and quads kicking off the race program at 9AM. For full results from the 2026 Laughlin Desert Classic, click here.

The complete schedule, entry list, racer information, spectator parking, Road Jump tickets, and racer camping details are available at BITD.com.

About The Laughlin Desert Classic:
The Laughlin Desert Classic stands among the most historic events in American off-road racing. Originally launched in 1975 by pioneering promoter Walt Lott, the race helped establish Laughlin, Nevada, as one of the sport's premier destinations. The event returned in 1984 under the leadership of off-road racing legend Sal Fish before being carried forward by the late Casey Folks, whose vision helped shape modern desert racing.

Over five decades, the rugged terrain surrounding Laughlin has hosted legendary battles featuring some of the greatest names in the sport, including Walker Evans, Ivan Stewart, and Rob MacCachren. Today, the Laughlin Desert Classic continues that tradition, bringing together professional and amateur racers from across North America to compete on one of off-road racing's most iconic stages.

The event now serves as a cornerstone of the American Off-Road Racing Championship, the unified effort between Unlimited Off-Road Racing and Best In The Desert to strengthen and grow the future of off-road competition. The Laughlin Desert Classic represents both a celebration of the sport's rich heritage and a bold vision for its future.

About the American Off-Road Racing Championship:
The American Off-Road Racing Championship (AORC) is the premier desert off-road racing league in North America, created through the unification of Best in the Desert (BITD) and Unlimited Off-Road Racing (UNLTD).   Best in the Desert, founded in 1984 by legendary racer Casey Folks, is the longest-running and most respected off-road racing series in the U.S., with a legacy that includes iconic events like Vegas to Reno, the Silver State 300, the Parker 425, and the Laughlin Desert Classic. Unlimited Off-Road Racing, established by the Martelli Brothers in 2023, produces world-class events such as The Mint 400, The California 300, and The Parker 400. UNLTD is recognized for its focus on innovation, storytelling, and large-scale racer participation, with events known for high car counts, challenging courses, pre-running, and family-friendly fan experiences near major markets.

Together under the AORC banner, BITD and UNLTD preserve the heritage of desert racing while building its future—offering racers, sponsors, and fans a unified championship built on clarity, consistency, and world-class competition.

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